Where We Belong
by Eve Is My Pen Name
Summary: A collection of oneshots and drabbles from KagaKuro Week 2015. Here there be magic and fluff and battles.
1. Day One

**KagaKuro Week 2015  
** **Where We Belong**

* * *

 **Day One: Guardian Roommate**

Kagami rolled his suitcase into the lobby and stopped at the desk where three different resident attendants waited with stacks of paperwork. Other students practically parted the way for Kagami's impressive height and scary looks, and the attendant quickly handed him his identification card and standard handbook.

"What room are you?" the RA questioned.

"Three-twenty-seven," Kagami grunted.

The RA retrieved a key from the many on the desk and gave it to Kagami with a grimace. "You don't have a roommate. The guy who was originally with you opted for a different room in another dorm house."

Kagami raised his eyebrows. Sears was the best dorm house on the university campus. Who would willingly give that up?

"There are rumors that the room is haunted," the RA answered his unspoken question.

Kagami huffed a laugh. What an idiot. Still, this worked out great for him. Having a whole room to himself was far better than he had imagined. He left the lobby with a smile on his face and cheerfully climbed both flights of stairs to the third floor. When he finally found his room and rolled his suitcase inside, his smile only grew.

The room wasn't huge by any means, but by dorm room standards, it was more than enough space for just him. Plus, he could use the top bunk bed for storage. Kagami played music on his phone and set to unpacking. He did not think of what the RA said until much later.

…

Footsteps. Kagami shot straight up in bed and hit his head on the top bunk.

"Fuck! Ah damn it!"

Kagami rubbed his head until the throbbing calmed down to a mere dull ache. The sounds of steps stopped at least, so he supposed the noise came as a byproduct from his dreams. He sometimes slept restlessly when in a new place, so that made sense. Just when Kagami planned to fall back against his pillow, a calm voice interrupted his thoughts.

"You shouldn't swear."

A very unmanly screech ripped from Kagami's throats as he leapt to his feet. Standing next to his desk was a small boy with pale blue hair.

"What the hell are you doing in my room?" Kagami demanded.

"I live here," the boy replied.

"But I'm not supposed to have a roommate," Kagami accused.

The boy shrugged and glanced at Kagami's things on his desk. "You are very neat. You are here on scholarship?"

"Yeah, sports scholarship."

"What sport?"

"Basketball."

The boy raised his eyebrows, a small gesture in the dim lighting. Kagami kept the bathroom light on for emergencies, and only the small sliver of illumination from the cracked door allowed them to see anything at all.

"I played basketball, too."

Now Kagami's eyes lit up. "What, really? What position do you play? What string are you? Wait, first things first, what's your name?"

"Kuroko Tetsuya."

"I'm Kagami Taiga. I guess we'll be seeing each other at practices. And workouts, too. Which regime are you on?"

"Kagami-kun, it is very late. You have classes tomorrow, right? You need plenty of rest."

"Hey, you're the one who woke me up," Kagami grumbled.

"I apologize. I will see you tomorrow."

…

However, when Kagami woke the next morning, Kuroko was gone. He supposed the kid might have an eight o'clock class or something. Kagami purposefully kept his morning free to accommodate his early workouts when those started. He wondered how Kuroko planned to keep up the basketball regime along with those classes, and then he focused on preparing for his own.

His day went fairly quickly. He attended two classes before lunch and then one class afterward. The first day just meant going over the syllabi, and while that was stressful in itself, Kagami only had one reading due Wednesday which meant a free evening.

He thought about hitting the gym for a quick workout, but he would be seeing plenty of the weight room this semester when basketball kicked into gear. He would take this one day to organize his school stuff, so when practices started next week, he could devote his full energy to the sport.

Besides, and while Kagami did not exactly admit this to himself, he wanted to see if Kuroko was in the room. Their brief conversation at two last night did not answer any of the questions he had, the first being why Kagami was told he did not have a roommate when he obviously did.

Not that he minded sharing a room with Kuroko. Meeting another basketball player was cool, but that still didn't explain the information gap.

Kuroko was not in the room when he returned, so denying that he wondered about that at all - _did he have an early morning class and a late afternoon class?_ \- Kagami started organizing his desk. Though he was not a particularly scholarly person at the best of times, he did like to keep things under manageable control when he could. Kagami filed the different syllabi away into labelled folders, and he knew that they would be a complete mess two weeks from now.

Around eight, Kagami dug into his mini fridge and heated up a quick dinner in the microwave.

"Those are not healthy for a basketball player."

Kagami nearly dropped the bottle of water he just pulled from the fridge, and a shriek escaped his lips. When he finally regrouped, he glared at the boy who suddenly seemed to appear on the other side of the room.

"Where the hell did you come from? Why didn't I hear you come in?" Kagami demanded.

"You should partake in a better diet," Kuroko said in leu of an answer.

"It's not like I want to eat those things," Kagami huffed. "I would cook if I could, but I'm a bit limited when I only have a fridge and a microwave."

Kuroko stepped closer to inspect Kagami's desk, the folders laid out with all the classes visible. "There is a kitchen down the hall for this floor," he informed him.

"What do you think you're doing? Wait, really? Anyone can use it?"

Kuroko nodded. "Use your student identification card to enter," he added.

"That's awesome! I'll have to go grocery shopping later then." Kagami stopped that train of thought suddenly when he realized that his mysterious roommate once again distracted him from what he initially wanted to ask. "Hey, the RA told me that I didn't have a roommate. Was this a last minute thing or what?"

"No, I have always lived here."

"So did they make a mistake? Was the RA an idiot or something?"

Kuroko left Kagami's desk to sit down at the empty one meant to be his. At that moment the microwave dinged, and Kagami removed the instant dinner and placed it on his dresser. They didn't exactly have a dining table in the limited space. Not that Kuroko took up much of it.

"And where is your stuff? You don't have anything in the closet, and there's not even sheets on your bed," Kagami accused, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.

Kuroko remained unfazed as he stared at Kagami from his chair. His pale blue eyes gave away nothing, so Kagami tried to discern something from his other details. He wore simple black slacks and a white collared shirt with a blue cardigan that matched his hair. He seemed perfectly normal even if his clothing was a bit formal for a university without a uniform.

"I do not need those things," Kuroko said.

"Don't need those-? Look, don't you go to class? Or sleep? If you're having finance issues, I can buy you a blanket and some notebooks," Kagami offered, a little fiercely. The flippant way this guy disregarded his basic needs was starting to annoy him, especially when he was so quick to worry about Kagami's health.

"I no longer attend classes. I just live here."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Kagami was about ready to smack that expressionless look from his face when a memory drifted to the front of his mind.

 _"_ _There are rumors that the room is haunted."_

Kagami was not a particularly suspicious person, but the longer he stared at Kuroko, the harder it was to focus on him. His pale figure seemed to waver in his chair.

"Hey, Kuroko… Are you…?"

Before Kagami could find a way to finish his question, Kuroko disappeared entirely.

…

His instant dinner went cold.

…

When Kagami went to sleep that night, he tried not to think about the fact that his dorm room was being haunted. He supposed he should be thankful. At least Kuroko was a polite ghost. He did not slam doors or make creepy sounds.

Nevertheless, Kagami could not help but wonder how he died in the first place.

Or why he chose to hang around a college dorm.

…

Kagami woke and went to his Tuesday classes. Another day of syllabus after syllabus, but this time, he went to the gym afterward.

When he returned, he found a note on his desk. Written in neat pen was a list of groceries to prepare well-balanced meals. Kagami was educated enough to recognize the ingredients needed for the protein and carbohydrate heavy meals that athletes required.

"Thanks, Kuroko," Kagami told the empty room.

No answer.

Kagami hoped he had not scared Kuroko off. He really had not meant to offend him or anything.

…

Basketball practice started, and Kuroko still had not showed himself in the dorm since Kagami discovered what he was. Nevertheless, Kagami was sure he was still around somewhere. He often woke up to the textbooks he needed that day in a neat pile on his desk or his gym bag ready with fresh workout clothes and a bottle of water.

His days became increasingly busy, and Kagami's mind eventually became nothing but basketball all day, all the time. His practices dominated his week, and just as he predicted, classes started to slide.

He tried to keep up with his homework, but the assignments slipped his mind, and he often did not remember them until the morning they were due. Just when Kagami started to really worry about his GPA, Kuroko stepped in.

Kagami woke up to find a carefully-calculated study plan on his desk in familiar writing. The plan spaced out what homework to do when and how much to study on what day. When broken down that way, the work did not seem quite so overwhelming.

Kagami sighed. "Kuroko? Are you here? You can come out, you know. You didn't scare me or anything the other day, and I don't mind you being here. Okay?"

No answer.

Kagami left the dorm and went about his day.

When he returned, Kuroko sat at his desk as if he did so every day. "Good evening," he greeted. "How was practice?"

Kagami dropped his gym bag to the floor and slipped his shoes off. "Good. We're doing a lot of conditioning right now. I'm ready to start scrimmaging," he returned.

"Conditioning is important, but scrimmaging is more fun," Kuroko agreed.

Kagami pulled out a meal that he cooked on the weekend, and Kuroko nodded his approval. While Kagami read his chapters for that day, Kuroko checked over his math homework. Once finished with his assignments, Kagami pulled up a movie on his laptop. He patted the space next to him on his bed, and Kuroko crawled beside him. They both sat with their backs against the wall and the laptop on their laps.

Kuroko's skin was cool against Kagami's shoulder, but he didn't mind. He was always warm-natured anyway.

He did not think about how easily this could become a routine. Him and the ghost that haunted his dorm room.

…

"You should get some sleep."

"I can't sleep. Our first game is tomorrow."

"That's all the more reason to get plenty of rest."

"I can't."

Kagami lay in his bed with his blankets up to his waist, but sleep would not come as he stared at the bed above him. Kuroko sat at Kagami's desk and wrote out his study plan for that week. It was growing a bit more difficult when he now had to factor in games, both home and away.

"Are you nervous?" Kuroko inquired.

"No. Yes. I'm mostly excited. Our team was the best in our conference in high school, so I want to play someone who will be a challenge," Kagami admitted.

Kuroko nodded as if he predicted such an answer.

"Hey, you should come," Kagami voiced suddenly. "It's home, so you wouldn't have to go far. We're really strong, and it should be a good game. I'm even starting."

Kagami hated how he sounded like a little kid desperate for a parent's attention, especially when Kuroko slowly shook his head. His normally neutral expression tensed into a slight grimace.

"I… can't leave this dorm hall," he admitted.

"Oh."

Despite everything Kagami sometimes forgot Kuroko was technically dead. He acted like a normal student besides the suddenly disappearing and reappearing at times, but other than that, he was just like a normal roommate, albeit a particularly accommodating and helpful one. Kagami really liked living with the guy.

It actually hurt a bit to think that the friendship could never leave this room.

"I have an idea," Kuroko said suddenly.

Before Kagami could question him, Kuroko pulled out Kagami's history textbook. He picked a passage on the rise of the Aztec empire and began reading in his monotone voice.

A moment later, Kagami fell asleep.

…

Once the games started, university life became a blur. Kagami often had to miss classes in order to leave early for away games, and he sometimes spent two or three days out of the dorm. He missed seeing his room every night, and he missed Kuroko.

But when Kagami returned, he always found a new study plan on his desk with his latest events worked in, and his fridge was mysteriously filled with nutritious meals and snacks. Kagami did not entirely understand how that could happen, but he wasn't about to question Kuroko's magic either.

"So tell me about the last game," Kuroko prompted.

Kagami leisurely ate a bowl of popcorn while lounging in his bed. After a particularly rigorous string of games, he wanted nothing more than a night in. Some of his teammates invited him for a celebration party off campus, but lounging in the dorm with Kuroko was far more appealing.

"I was up against this foreign guy. He was insanely tall. The school imported him specifically for basketball," Kagami explained.

Kuroko nodded from his post at Kagami's desk. He didn't sit at his own anymore, preferring to flit around through Kagami's things.

"And everyone was about ready to give up on him because he was so tall, you know? But even though he had an easy fourteen inches on me, I dunked on him. When I jumped, it was like I could go on forever. It changed the momentum of the game, and we ended up winning."

"You are the ace player. Your attitude directly influences the rest of the team," Kuroko agreed. "You did a good job."

"I wish you could have seen it," Kagami grunted, trying not to sulk.

Kuroko did not acknowledge his complaint just as he ignored almost all references to his unusual situation. "Perhaps you should adjust your training regime to focus on your jumping ability. Emphasize strength training in your legs and abdomen and then increase your stamina."

Kagami wanted to scold him for changing the subject, but then what Kuroko suggested truly sunk in.

"Hey that 's a great idea! If I really worked on that, I could dunk on anyone!"

When Kagami woke up the next morning, he found a new training regimen on his desk alongside his study schedule. Both catered just to him.

…

Kagami wanted to do something for Kuroko for a change. His roommate constantly did things for him whether it was provide reminders to eat something healthy or a study guide to make sure he stayed on top of his grades. Sometimes just his listening ear after a long day made Kagami feel better.

And now he wanted to return the favor. He wasn't sure how though.

What could he offer to a ghost?

He was pretty sure Kuroko didn't eat, and he definitely didn't sleep. He seemed to just pop in and out of the room at his leisure, and he never asked for anything or complained. He was the perfect roommate.

And damn it if Kagami didn't hate him for it in that moment. He wasn't giving him anything to work with here!

He knew what he wanted to do. If Kagami could give Kuroko anything in the world, he would take him to one of his basketball games. He noticed the wistfulness that entered his pale eyes every time they were brought up.

Unfortunately some unknown forced tied Kuroko to this dormitory, and he had no idea what it was. Kuroko never gave up anything about his past, whether living or dead.

So in the end Kagami did the next best thing.

When Kuroko appeared in their dorm room that night, Kagami was just tacking the mini basketball goal to the back of their door.

"What are you doing?" Kuroko inquired.

Kagami turned around and grinned. He tossed a miniature basketball to Kuroko, and the other caught the ball easily.

"We're about to play a game," Kagami declared.

Kuroko's thin lips parted as if he could not quite understand what Kagami proposed. But when Kagami stole the ball back and dunked it in the small net, he caught on quickly enough. Kuroko dribbled fairly well on the carpet of the dorm, and he used his small stature to his advantage. He ducked under Kagami's arm and made a layup.

Kagami couldn't take Kuroko to a game, but he could bring a game to him.


	2. Day Two

**Day Two: One-Sided Promise**

Kagami was a bit of an idiot for a prince.

Though Kuroko could not voice this thought out loud, he did make a point of expressing it in every nonverbal way possible. Normally, just a glance at his prince got the message across to Kagami, and more often than not, a slap across the head resulted.

"Shut up, Kuroko," Kagami growled.

"I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have to. Clean up my chambers. Polish my boots, feed my dogs, prepare the fire, bring me breakfast…"

Kuroko always made a point of disappearing before the list grew too long. Kagami could also be a bit petulant for a prince.

As for the idiot thing, this was true, but Kuroko supposed he could also just call it unobservant. After all, Kagami never questioned how Kuroko always kept his meals hot no matter how long Kagami took to put aside his work to eat them. He also always swallowed Kuroko's stories of how Kagami defeated the monster right before he passed out, no matter how illogical the situation.

Kuroko inwardly sighed at the thought of such a man soon running the kingdom, but he supposed he should be grateful. After all, if Kagami was more observant, Kuroko would be very dead.

…

"Your Highness."

"Don't, Kuroko. I know what you're going to say, and I don't want to hear it."

"Then you know what you do is wrong."

Kuroko realized his miscalculation a moment before his back slammed against the wall. When they were in public, Kagami kept up the image of an esteemed prince with his lowly servant trailing after him. Kuroko spoke too quietly for his rebellious comments to reach the ears of anyone but Kagami.

However, when they were in the privacy of Kagami's chambers as they were now, Kagami got a bit… touchier.

He leered down at Kuroko, his eyes burning with fury. He held Kuroko's arms tight against the stone, so the shorter boy could not move even if he dared attempt defiance now.

"No matter what you seem to think, you are a servant. You do not have the right to question my decisions," he growled.

Kuroko held his gaze with cool indifference. "I am not the one questioning them."

"He broke the law. He deserves the punishment."

"You are executing a man for brewing a cure for his sick mother."

"He used magic! You know it's illegal!"

Kuroko did not deign such a justification with a response. Kagami breathed heavily, and Kuroko half expected him to crack his head against the wall. Nobles often treated their subordinates in such a way, but Kagami only released him and backed away.

"I will not be needing your services this evening. Go," he ordered coldly.

Kuroko gave him one last look before leaving the chambers.

…

The execution took place at dawn, and the sorcerer's lover, a witch in her own right, declared her desire for revenge by noon. She gathered a crowd right outside the castle and declared Prince Kagami a merciless dictator moments before she disappeared into a cloud of smoke. But not before she promised to rid the kingdom of such a tyrant once and for all.

Kuroko expected this, and he tried not to feel weary.

How many magic users had he already killed in the name of the greater good? He condemned the law against sorcery as much as the witch in the town square, but he knew killing Kagami would accomplish nothing. In fact, it would defeat the purpose.

After all, Kuroko believed Kagami could save the kingdom and end its tirade against magic once and for all. Kuroko just needed to get rid of the brainwashing his father gave him and keep him alive for the process.

…

"I thought I told you that you were dismissed."

Kuroko did not get up from where he cleaned out the fireplace. "You told me you didn't need my services last night," he corrected.

"Well, I don't need them tonight either," Kagami grunted as he pulled off his boots. Only candles lit his bedchambers this late at night, and the flickering flames made his face look more gaunt than usual. Or perhaps that was stress.

"I disagree," Kuroko said.

"Excuse me?"

Kagami's muscles tensed with danger, and Kuroko realized that a fork in the road presented itself here. He could defuse the situation now. Meekly leave the chambers only to return in secret to kill the sorcerer before she could assassinate Kagami.

Or he could avoid having to kill another witch in the name of peace ever again (hopefully).

Kuroko stood from the fireplace and dusted the soot from his hands. Then he stopped himself and murmured a quiet word that cleaned his clothes and skin instantly.

"Kagami Taiga," Kuroko said.

The prince's eyes widened at such an informal address.

"I promised my life to you," Kuroko continued. "I do not mean the servant's oath. I gave you something far more sacred, a vow to protect you no matter what."

"What are you talking about?" Kagami growled. He stomped forward, but he did not seem to have the courage to come close enough to touch Kuroko.

"I have lost count of how many times I have saved you. Killed monsters after you were knocked unconscious and then told you that you defeated it yourself. Ending assassins that you never knew of. Minimizing threats to your kingdom."

"How could-?"

"Kagami," Kuroko interrupted. "I have magic."

He barely admitted the words before the room turned dark as the candles flickered out. A dark cackle chilled the air, but while Kagami crouched into a battle stance, Kuroko barely reacted. Instead, he lifted his hand and made a fist. His eyes flashed silver.

A moment later, light returned to the room, and a terrified woman stared in horror from across the room. However, her eyes focused on the servant rather than the prince with the sword in his hand.

"How? My magic…"

When Kuroko answered, he looked directly at Kagami. "I am the strongest sorcerer in this kingdom, and I devote my magic to you, Kagami. And how do you respond?"

…

The ban on magic was lifted the next day.

The day after that, Kuroko was promoted from servant to court sorcerer.


	3. Day Three

**Day Three: Eyelash**

"Hey, Kuroko, eyelash."

"Excuse me?"

"You have an eyelash on your cheek. Here, I'll get it."

Kagami brushed a thumb against Kuroko's cheek, the touch light and fleeting, but Kuroko felt the skin burn. He wanted to scold Kagami for such an intimate gesture in between classes of all times, but he knew Kagami would not understand why he was being reprimanded.

"Make a wish," Kagami teased, brushing the wayward eyelash away.

"What?" Kuroko inquired. Sometimes Kagami made no sense at all.

"It's an American thing. When you lose an eyelash, you make a wish," Kagami explained.

"That makes no sense."

"No, I guess not," Kagami admitted. "It's like putting teeth under your pillow to get money. Just a weird tradition."

"Americans put teeth beneath their pillows?" Kuroko repeated incredulously. Surely, Kagami was joking. The United States was supposed to be a civilized country, wasn't it?

Kagami laughed as he took in Kuroko's expression. "Yeah, Americans do some crazy things sometimes. But if you could make a wish on an eyelash, what would it be?"

Kuroko shrugged. "Why would I need to make a wish when I have my personal light?"

This time, Kagami felt his cheeks burn.


	4. Day Four

**Day Four: In Battle, They're Lethal**

"You know, I wonder if you guys would have beaten me."

Kuroko lifted his gaze from his homework and tilted his head in an unspoken question. Kagami long ago gave up on his assignments and idly flipped through a basketball magazine. When Kuroko looked closer, he noticed Kagami perused an article on Teiko's famed Generation of Miracles.

"Like if I went to middle school in Japan instead of America," Kagami clarified, still scanning the pictures of Teiko's first string from years ago. Where did he find such an old magazine? "And if I found a halfway decent team. Would Teiko have crushed my team?"

"Most likely."

"Hey, what?" Kuroko's eye twitched in irritation, and he gripped Kuroko's head with just enough force to show his lack of amusement.

Kuroko did not react but only further explained, "Even with the two of us, we could not defeat Aomine-kun's team alone during the Inter-High. You could not have defeated Teiko in middle school."

As much as Kagami wanted to argue Kuroko's assessment, he only sighed and released his grip. "Yeah, fine, good point."

Kuroko nodded and returned to his schoolwork. Though he should probably insist that Kagami do the same, he knew better than to press him when he felt this distracted. School was not Kagami's strong point despite the fact that Kuroko knew he was decently smart most of the time. At least he learned English anyway.

"Hey, I wonder if I could beat you," Kagami mused suddenly. "Like if you had a team and I had a team. We haven't really ever gone against each other before."

Now Kuroko perked up in genuine interest. He challenged Kagami to one-on-one when they first met though they both knew that was not an accurate assessment. Since Kuroko's skill relied on team play, he required a standard five-on-five setup to accurately showcase his talent.

"We don't even play against each other when Riko divides us up to scrimmage," Kagami continued.

Also true, Kuroko inwardly noted. Since Kagami and Kuroko worked best as a duo, Riko typically kept them together to further hone their partnership. She long ago realized that the two of them could develop plays all on their own if given the time and space to work together.

"What do you say, Kuroko? Want to go up against me?" Kagami teased, his teeth glinting in a wicked smirk.

"I can work with different lights, Kagami-kun," Kuroko pointed out. "Can you find another shadow?"

"Hey, you!"

That night ended with Kuroko in a chokehold, but the idea took root in their minds. Subtly, almost without them realizing it.

…

Third year approached, and with that, came college applications. Suddenly, Kuroko did not care if Kagami would rather flip through old basketball magazines than complete his assignment. When Kagami dared let his eyes wander somewhere else, a sharp pain in his ribs reminded him that his mathematics homework was on the table, not the wall.

"Hey, Kuroko," he grumbled, rubbing the sore spot. "You don't have to be so violent. Colleges are going to be looking at my basketball, not my grades, anyway."

"You still need to pass the entrance exams, no matter how impressive your basketball is," Kuroko reminded him.

Kagami wished he could argue that point, but Kuroko could be a bit fanatic about school sometimes. He inwardly debated the risk of another jab into his ribs, but he decided the question that had been on his mind for a long time now was worth to potential pain.

"Kuroko, what college are you going to apply to?"

His pen stilled in his hand, but Kuroko did not look up from his notebook. "I have a few in mind," he answered carefully. "Have you picked one out yet?"

"I've gotten some scholarship offers from a few basketball programs. I was just wondering…" Kagami took a deep breath and forced himself to finish the thought. "I've been thinking. We haven't really talked about life after high school, and that's kind of weird for friends, you know? Especially for us. I mean, we're partners."

Kuroko nodded to show he understand what Kagami meant.

"And I've been thinking… about what we talked about a long time ago. About going against each other. And since you haven't brought up going to the same college, I thought you might have been considering it, too."

Kagami waited with baited breath, and his heart did something funny when Kuroko slowly nodded again.

"I have," Kuroko confirmed. "I wonder what it would be like to go against Kagami-kun on the court."

Suddenly Kagami erupted into laughter, and Kuroko watched with startled eyes. When Kagami finally regained control of himself, he wiped his eyes. "I guess this is the next step, huh? You did this with your old friends, too. Start out as teammates and partners. Now the next level is competing against each other, right?"

"This is different from Teiko," Kuroko insisted.

"No, I know," Kagami assured him. "We don't have anything to prove to each other. This is just curiosity, right? On the collegiate level, when it's just you and just me, which of us is stronger?"

Kuroko smiled, a hint of mischief in the corners. "It's a challenge then. I'll see you on the court."

…

Kuroko and Kagami never discussed the rules of their little game, but nevertheless, they abided by the unspoken guidelines. They did not choose universities where any of the Generation of Miracles attended nor where any of the other particularly strong players went. Kuroko picked a fairly unknown college in Tokyo, and Kagami chose one in Akita.

He shared an apartment with Tatsuya though they attended different universities. That would have been a broach of the rules as Tatsuya would have tipped the scale.

Kuroko and Kagami still texted every day, and they called at least once a week. They even visited each other on weekends to explore each other's campus. Their relationship never suffered despite the difference in schools.

The others thought them crazy, but they did not understand.

…

Basketball season began, and their weekend visits came to an end. Not because their feelings became darker or some such nonsense. Rather, practices and workout regimens took up all their free time, and so they resorted to texts and calls alone.

They filled each other in on practices and some interesting stories about teammates, but in keeping to the unspoken rules, they steered away from plays, skill sets, and game strategies.

They wanted to do this fairly.

…

The day finally arrived.

Their teams approached each other on the court. The captains shook hands, and the tallest players met at the half court line. Everyone crouched in battle stance, and their muscles practically trembled in anticipation.

However, no one on the court realized the extent of the battle about to take place.

Though Kagami's teammates passed over his form as if he was not there, Kagami met Kuroko's eyes and grinned. Kuroko offered a small, fleeting smile in return. Though they had met on the court countless times, never in this way. Never from different sides.

The buzzer sounded. The ball flew into the air.

Game on.


	5. Day Five

**Day Five: The Second Mile**

Kagami woke up to giggling. He blinked twice before the faces in front of him came into focus, and he managed half an eyebrow raise to Izuki. "What's going on?" he slurred groggily.

"The train's stopped, and we need to get off, you idiot," Hyuuga barked as he slung his sports bag over his shoulder. Now that Kagami's brain functions worked a little more smoothly, he noticed the rest of the team gathering his things as well. He started to do the same when he realized his right arm was immobilized.

The giggling again. Izuki and Koganei and Mitobe exchanged amused glances, and Kagami muffled the urge to groan.

"You weren't the only one to fall asleep. I think that practice match really took it out of Kuroko," Riko observed.

Kagami had to agree. Though the match at Karasuno High School provided some good practice, they expended quite a bit of energy in the process. Kuroko especially seemed winded after the fourth quarter, and he practically stumbled out of the locker room. Kagami remembered sliding into a train seat with Kuroko since they always shared, and he recalled nothing else.

Apparently he fell asleep, and Kuroko did, too. After all, Kuroko currently used Kagami's shoulder as a pillow as he breathed softly in deep slumber.

"You should probably wake him up," Kyoshi suggested kindly.

Realizing that almost everyone had vacated the train by now, Kagami gently shook Kuroko's shoulder. "Hey, Kuroko. You need to wake up. It's time for us to go."

Nothing. Even when Kagami shook harder, his tiny body easily manipulated beneath Kagami's strength, Kuroko's eyelids did not even flinch. The game must have taken more out of him than they originally thought.

"Just carry him," Riko ordered. "We don't have time to wait on him."

Kagami mumbled something about pain-in-the-ass partners, but he slid Kuroko over into his arms and carried him like some kind of bride. Furihata was nice enough to cart his and Kuroko's bags while Kagami carefully finagled both himself and Kuroko off the train without hitting any part of his cargo on an ill-placed pole or doorway.

Finally, they safely stepped onto the station, and the train motored away.

"Now what?" Kagami said. "He still won't wake up."

He glanced down at where Kuroko slept peacefully in his arms, and though he tried to look like this was a huge inconvenience, he barely felt the extra weight. Maybe Kuroko should eat more. Just because he was a shadow didn't mean he had to actually weigh the same as one. Kagami made a mental note to address that.

Riko, Kyoshi, and Hyuuga exchanged glances, and then Riko shrugged. "Take him to his house or yours. You two practically live together anyway."

"What?" Kagami sputtered. He glanced around for some backup, but most of Seirin already scattered in the directions of their respective homes. Even the three second years subtly backed away to catch some rest after a long day.

He and Kuroko did not practically live together. That was just crazy!

Though now that Kagami thought about it, Kuroko did have a spare change of clothes at his house. And a toothbrush. Plus, he left his school things there when they met to catch the train this morning. If he took Kuroko back to his place, he could spend the night and get ready for school from there.

But they did not live together. That was just ridiculous.

Kagami sighed and turned in the direction of his apartment, Kuroko gently cradled in his arms.


	6. Day Six

**Day Six: Home**

Off season felt… wrong.

For the better part of a year Kagami and Kuroko spent every day in the gym. Riko scheduled practice at a constant, and when there wasn't drills and scrimmaging, there were workouts in the weight room.

Watching old game films, presenting new plays, practicing and practicing until they knew their teammates better than their family.

And then suddenly, once the Winter Cup ended, they returned to practice three times a week. Workouts only twice a week. Like an ordinary sport.

Still, even with the more relaxed schedule, Kuroko and Kagami often played street ball. Sometimes his old teammates - Aomine and Kise especially - joined them, and the matches became more heated and intense than even practices. They switched the teams up some, and each player felt pushed to the limit - but in a good way.

After one such match, Kuroko and Kagami strolled back to Kagami's apartment with towels around their necks and schoolbags on their shoulders. They had bid goodbye to Aomine and Kise with the challenge of a rematch next week.

"You know," Kagami mused. "You don't actually have to come home with me every day anymore. I do my homework even without your nagging now that the season is over."

Kuroko continued to walk without a change in expression. "I suppose, by now, going this way is a habit," he admitted.

"You're always at my place, not that I mind or anything, but don't your parents miss you?" Kagami asked.

"They never mention it. They have always given me my space," Kuroko said.

Kagami secretly wondered if Kuroko's lack of presence continued in his own home, but he did not want to bring that up. Despite its advantages Kuroko could sometimes be a bit sensitive about his forgettable persona, at least when it wasn't related to basketball.

"Well, living alone can be a bit boring sometimes. If you don't care, I don't either," Kagami concluded. The declaration was well-timed as they now approached the door of said apartment, and Kagami fished his key out of his pocket.

Kuroko waited for Kagami to open the door and walked inside with familiarity. "I'm glad," he said as Kagami shut the door behind them. "This feels like… home, I suppose?"

Kagami froze at such an open statement, and a blush colored his cheeks. HIs throat seemed to close up as he struggled to respond, "Yeah?"

Kuroko nodded. "I feel comfortable here."

"I'm glad," Kagami agreed gruffly. "You should. I mean, we're partners, right?"

"Right, we're partners," Kuroko confirmed with a small smile.

"You could even move in almost," Kagami continued. "You already have clothes and stuff here. How often do you even go back to your own house?"

Kuroko pinned Kagami with a blank stare, and he lifted a single eyebrow. "Kagami-kun, are you proposing to me?"

Kagami's face exploded into an array of reds, and he frantically sputtered, "What are you talking about, I was just, and then you-"

His babbling only stopped when Kuroko closed the distance between them and placed a gentle kiss on the corner of his mouth. Smiling softly, he murmured, "I accept."

When Kuroko started to turn away, content with gentle teasing and small shows of affection, Kagami grabbed his arm and pulled him back. Sometimes he indulged Kuroko in his fleeting ghostlike shows of emotion, but he was a more aggressive person by nature. He slotted his mouth against Kuroko's, and they did not part for air for a long time.

They panted in the small space they shared, and Kuroko looked up to meet Kagami's eyes. Their height difference all the more noticeable in situations such as these, Kuroko stood on his tippy toes to kiss Kagami again.

Kagami chuckled deep in his throat, and he lifted Kuroko as if he weighed nothing at all. Kuroko's only reaction was a surprised intake of breath, and then he sighed softly when Kagami placed him on their couch. Kagami crouched over his figure and smiled mischievously.

"You're at my mercy," Kagami teased.

Kuroko stared impassively. "Kagami-kun is deluded."

However, the ice around Kuroko's expression melted when Kagami's kisses trailed from his lips to his neck and then even lower.

When they finally rested with Kuroko's back against Kagami's chest, their legs and arms intertwined, Kuroko murmured in that space between sleep and waking. Kagami would not have heard it all if he wasn't so in tuned to the person in his arms.

"Feels like home."


	7. Day Seven

**Day Seven: More Than in My Heart**

 _"_ _It's crowded."_

 _"_ _Are you surprised? This match has been all over the internet for months. Some called it the 'Battle of the Year.'"_

 _"_ _I know, but it's still a shock to see it in person."_

Kagami did not answer in words this time, for simply the notion of agreement conveyed his feelings to Kuroko. When they connected like this, bound by soul and mind, communication came as easily to them as breathing. Their words did not reach actual sound waves but remained thoughts passed between their minds.

 _"_ _You should have made a left at the last street."_

 _"_ _I know that! I just wanted to check out this, uh, jewelry stand."_

 _"_ _No, you didn't."_

The only problem with such a connection was that they could hide nothing from one another. Of course this was a benefit as well.

Kagami turned around, and he weaved back to his escaped left turn. Though the crowds brushed against him, his imposing height and muscled build cleared a pathway soon enough. Several recognized him from the photos floating around social media, but even those who did not know him sensed his aura and backed away as well.

By the time Kagami reached the arena, thousands of eyes watched him, and his skin burned with the sensation. He almost felt like growling at the next person to gossip in a half-hearted whisper, but a soothing breeze stilled his nerves and offered solace.

Glancing down at the black wristband on his left arm, Kagami thought to Kuroko, _"Thanks."_

 _"_ _They bother me, too."_

With Kuroko's patient guidance Kagami found the control room, and he signed all the proper documents. Then a scanner registered his magical signature and confirmed him as the identity displayed in the contract.

KAGAMI TAIGA

SORCERER MERCENARY

CURRENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SEIRIN

One of the directors of magic wrinkled his nose as he read the scanner. "Is there a problem?" Kagami asked, this time out loud.

"Your paperwork says you have a mage, but the scanner did not pick up another magical signature," the director explained.

Kagami fought back a grin. "Yeah, this always happens. My partner's signature is unusually subtle, and most scanners don't pick it up."

"Can you prove this? If you don't have a mage, that's fine, but if you do, we need a record."

Before the director even finished, Kagami's wristband began to glow a light blue. A moment later the bracelet flickered once, twice, and then a figure materialized at Kagami's side.

Kuroko bowed respectfully to the director. "I apologize for the inconvenience. Where do I sign?"

The director blinked twice before he managed to show Kuroko his own set of papers.

KUROKO TETSUYA

MAGE MERCENARY

CURRENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SEIRIN

"I assume you understand the stakes, but by law, I must inform you again of the nature of the battle," the director continued as Kuroko signed. "Touou claims that a silver vein that would bring a significant amount of money to their country is on their land while Seirin insists that the silver vein is within their borders. In the match today, whichever representative wins gains the right to the silver vein for his sponsoring country."

Kagami and Kuroko both nodded. They had worked for enough countries as mercenaries that they knew the routine by now. As they won most of their matches, almost all of them really, Seirin paid quite a bit of money for their services.

The director hesitated, but when his eyes lingered on Kuroko's slight frame, he added, "You should know… Your opponent today isn't an ordinary sorcerer. He doesn't use a mage, but his natural power is overwhelming. Even though he doesn't use spells, his raw magic alone is enough to win. He has never lost a battle."

Kagami's expression darkened, and even Kuroko tensed. "We know him," Kagami assured the director. Kuroko nodded.

The director grimaced, but he left Kuroko and Kagami to their own preparations. They were used to others underestimating them due to Kuroko's unusual lack of magical signature, but that only made victory sweeter for them. However, this time, when they won, the euphoria would come from an entirely different set of emotions.

"Are you ready?" Kagami asked.

"I have prepared multiple spells. I believe I have a response for every possible attack he will use," Kuroko confirmed.

"That's not what I meant."

Kuroko bit his lip, but even when they were not connected through the bond, Kagami read him easily. "We can do this," Kagami promised.

"I know."

Some partnerships exchanged battle strategy during the preparation times, but Kagami and Kuroko had practiced endlessly for this match. They sat in each other's presence and waited. When the time came, Kuroko's form faded from existence, and the black wristband reappeared on Kagami's left arm.

Kagami marched with pride, confidence, and determination. The added sense of Kuroko within him left him with an unshakable presence that challenged the world.

When he entered the battle arena, the crowds barely registered. He vaguely realized that people screamed his name, with both encouragement and disgusted insults, but he put them all out of his mind. He knew his duty, and the opinions of those watching did not matter. He felt Kuroko's agreement inside him.

Across the arena, another figure emerged.

He bore no object that might hide a mage's true form, but Kagami did not expect to see one. Rather, he kept his mind focused, and he did not falter even as he opponent sauntered toward the center of the arena with ease.

The enemy smirked, dark and twisted.

"Hey, Tetsu. Been a while."

…

Kuroko had warned Kagami about Aomine even before the director offered his crumbs of advice.

"Aomine-kun does not need spells. None of the Generation of Miracles do. I acted as a mage for all of them, but they only needed me at the beginning and then only for very important battles. Then not at all."

"They're idiots," Kagami had scoffed. Kuroko had only shrugged.

"The rest retired and use their magic for their own purposes. Aomine-kun continues life as a sorcerer mercenary because he likes challenges. He thinks there is no one who can possibly beat him."

"Then we'll just prove him wrong."

…

Aomine's magic was as overwhelming as the director, Kuroko, and pretty much everyone else had warned. Kagami had wondered how a sorcerer could access his magic without spells, but he understand with vibrant clarity from Aomine's first attack.

Raw power assaulted his every sense until he felt his own magic falter in response. There was none of the precision of a prepared spell, but that made finding a defense more difficult. Or it would have.

Unfortunately for Aomine, Kuroko had intimate knowledge of his attacks. The unusual mage had spent countless nights deliberating over the best responses to Aomine's unpredictable style, and now Kagami grinned in the face of what should have been an unbeatable attack. He reached within himself and felt Kuroko's presence along with three different prepared spells.

 _"_ _Which one?"_ he asked Kuroko. Normally a sorcerer disregarded the mage outside of spell work, but Kagami valued Kuroko's opinion even in the battle.

 _"_ _Use a low-strength barrier and then a medium-strength fire-based attack."_

Kagami mentally gave his affirmative and did just that, reaching for the spells left for him by Kuroko. Aomine lifted his eyebrow in amusement, for he brushed past both the attack and barrier without effort.

But Kuroko had already planned out this entire battle.

One by one, Kagami reached for low-strength spells and then held his ground against Aomine's forceful attacks. The strain hit him all the way to his core, but just as Kuroko predicted, Aomine slowly lost stamina, and Kagami still possessed all his high-strength attacks.

The climax hit, and Kagami grinned. Aomine had clearly depleted his strength, and before he could form any kind of barrier, Kagami shot spell after high-strength spell directly into his core, and a moment later, the directors called the winner.

Seirin earned back the right to their borders.

…

Seirin threw a celebration like no other, but Kagami declined his invitation. He worked as a mercenary specifically to avoid the politics of being a country's singular representative. He did not want worship or awe. He only wanted to work hard for the next battle.

He left the city and found solace in the quiet of the open road again. He passed a forest and a field, and he did not stop until he reached a small town just big enough to possess a hotel.

 _"_ _Are you planning on transforming back anytime soon?"_

 _"_ _And pay for two beds?"_

 _"_ _You know what I mean. We left the battle half a day ago, and you're still not here."_

 _"_ _I am here."_

 _"_ _You know what I mean. Beside me."_

 _"_ _Let's wait until you pay for the room."_

Sure enough, Kagami requested a single room with one bed, and the hotel staff did not blink an eye. Not that they needed the extra money considering their success, but Kuroko reminded him that they never knew when they might hit a losing streak. Kagami doubted that though.

He fidgeted impatiently while he filled out the paperwork and paid with a card. He wanted to reach the room and force Kuroko into transformation if he needed to.

This always happened, and it was worse when they faced someone from Kuroko's past. Most mages could not retain their object form for longer than an hour, but another odd ability of Kuroko's was that he could stay in spell casting form indefinitely. Though he claimed that it was simply a useful adaptation, Kagami knew differently.

The unnaturally powerful sorcerers known as the Generation of Miracles taught him to stay in his form longer, so that he could alternate between assisting each of them without ever needing a break in human form. Kuroko claimed they treated him well, but Kagami viewed such behavior as borderline abusive.

Mages helped sorcerers by providing extra magical stamina and prepared spells for battle, and sorcerers should treat them with respect, not as the objects they resembled when in spell casting form.

Finally, the transaction went through, Kagami took the key to their room. He took the elevator to the second floor, and as soon as he shut and locked the door behind him, he ordered out loud, "Okay, Kuroko. Come out."

The gentle blue light emanated from his arm, and the wristband flickered out of existence just as Kuroko appeared sitting on the bed.

"Congratulations, Kagami-kun. You defeated the greatest of the Generation of Miracles."

"Don't give me that," Kagami dismissed. "We only beat him because we worked together."

Kuroko shrugged, but Kagami grasped his shoulders. "No, don't do that," he said fiercely. "Don't brush me off as if you did nothing."

Kuroko lifted his eyebrows in a question, and Kagami continued, "We're partners, Kuroko. We need to get something straight. I don't want to use you and your abilities to win. I want us to work together, your spells and my skills, to win together. You know what I mean?"

"I understand, Kagami-kun."

"No, you don't. You still stay in your object form because you think that's where you're most useful, but I'm telling you that I want you here. Beside me. With me."

"I'm always with you."

Kagami sighed, and he touched his forehead to Kuroko's. "You're always in my heart and in my mind. But sometimes I want you here in my arms, too."

When Kuroko still looked confused, Kagami closed the already short distance between them and brushed his lips against the other's. He slid his hands down to grasp Kuroko's hips, and by the time their kiss ended, Kuroko laid back on the bed, and Kagami crouched on top of him.

"Oh," Kuroko breathed.

Kagami laughed lightly. "Yeah," he said. "Partners. Not just a sorcerer and a mage."

Kuroko pulled Kagami back down, and they kissed long and deep. When they spent time together like this, just the two of them, social boundaries and the shadows of their pasts faded until all that mattered was their partnership. Their feelings for each other.

Panting slightly, flushed and beautiful, Kuroko murmured, "I, too, want to be with you. Not just for magic."

Kagami laughed against his skin. "I'm glad."

For someone so eloquent, words like these came difficultly to Kuroko.

"Kagami-kun," he tried again. "I… I lo-"

"It's okay, Kuroko. I'm in your head and your heart. I know."

Kuroko nodded, for he knew, too.

"And now I'm in your arms as well."


End file.
